Protests have erupted in Bara Chowk, the main town of Bara Tehsil in Pakistan’s Khyber District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, against the imposition of Governor’s Rule. According to local reports, heavy police contingents have been deployed to the area, leading to a tense standoff between security forces and local residents who have gathered to demonstrate. Authorities have placed shipping containers across key entry and exit points and closed major roads in Peshawar city of Khyber pakhtunkhwa province, while mobile and internet signals were also suspended to restrict communication.
Governor’s Rule, locally referred to as “Governor Raj,” refers to direct federal administration imposed through the provincial governor, a move that has triggered widespread public opposition in the former tribal region. Visuals from the scene show police dragging and detaining unarmed protesters, with multiple prisoner vans reportedly filled with detainees. Despite mass arrests, protesters have refused to disperse.
In a video that has since gone viral, a protester is heard saying during heavy aerial firing by police that they are not afraid of such tactics, stating: “We have spent 18 years under firing, this is a trivial matter.” The remark refers to the nearly two decades of military operations, displacement, and conflict that the people of Khyber District have endured since the early 2000s.
The situation in Peshawar city remains tense, with roads still blocked by containers and protesters continuing to chant slogans against the imposition of Governor’s Rule while facing off against a heavy police presence.
